How to Add a Sunlit Glow in Photoshop

Always wondered how to add a beautiful burst of sunlight to your photos?

Follow this simple eight step tutorial!

 

S T E P   O N E
After choosing your photo, add a gradient fill layer (Layer > New Fill Layer > Gradient...)

S T E P   T W O
Change the mode to Hard Light and rename the layer if you want.

S T E P   T H R E E
Change the style to Radial and adjust the size to suit your photo (135%).

S T E P   F O U R
Click on the gradient box. This will open the Gradient Editor.
Click the space below the gradient box to add a new stop.

S T E P   F I V E
Change the first bottom stop to a creamy off white and then add two extra bottom stops.
Change their colours to yellow and orange and then adjust their location on the slider as shown.
Change the far bottom right stop to grey.

S T E P   S I X
Click on the far top right stop and change the opacity to about 30%.

STEP SEVEN
Add a stop somewhere in the top middle between the two top stops and change it to about 70%.

S T E P   E I G H T
Click okay. Now without closing the Gradient Fill window, move your new sunburst to your preferred area of the photo and click okay!
Adjust the opacity of your fill layer to your liking.

{ O P T I O N A L   S T E P   N I N E }
Don't be afraid to add a second burst to really sunny up the shot!

The finished shot...

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Giving Your Photos the Matte-Look

If you ever use VSCO CAM or Afterlight on your iPhone, you're likely familiar with the fade adjustment or the matte look you can achieve using some of the preset filters.

I use this edit a lot on my iPhone photos and it's perfect for when I want to keep the dynamic look of a higher contrast shot, but without the stark edginess between the the high and low lights. It also seems to take the saturation down just a touch, giving a bit of a washed out feel.

There are likely tons of different way of achieving this look in photoshop, but I've found the following method to be efficient and versatile enough for my own editing style and I haven't had to go looking for any other more in depth or complicated steps.

So I open up the photo I'm going to edit in PS and my first step is to enhance and increase the contrast. I duplicate the background layer (Layer > Duplicate Layer or Command J) and I set the blending mode to Overlay.

Then I change the Opacity to about 35%. Next I go down to my "create new fill or adjustment layer" button and choose Solid Color...

I pick a nice dark grey (#616161) and hit OK. Then I change the blending mode of that layer to Lighten.

Now here is where you choose how much "fade" you want your photo to have by adjusting the Opacity to your liking. For this photo I'm going with a nice subtle 50%.

Then complete your editing to your liking and you're done! I lightened the photo just a touch by using a Curves adjustment layer and then brightened up my models face just a smidgen.

C'est fin!

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Whole Wheat Zucchini Brownies

I don't normally put up recipes or posts about cooking - probably because I'm not the most fantastic chef in the world - but I felt compelled to share this recipe!

I had a major chocolate craving last night and I just so happen to have a Hersheys bar from a photo shoot I'd done earlier and one little lonely zucchini in my fridge. Since I only had the one I halfed the recipe, but I'll post the full recipe as you'll be happy you've got a bigger batch once you try them.

Adapted from the lovely Cookie + Kate's recipe

• 2 cups of zucchini
• 1/2 cup organic virgin coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup organic whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cup of chocolate of your choice
• Crushed almonds * optional

Preheat your oven to 350˚

Grease an 8" square baking pan

Grate your zucchini and soak up some of the moisture with paper towel

Beat your wet ingredients in a large bowl and then stir in the zucchini

Stir your dry ingredients in a small bowl

Stir your dry ingred. in with the wet and then add the chocolate (mine was milk choc)

Throw it in the pan and sprinkle on some crushed nuts

Bake for about 30-32 minutes, and then let cool.

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Planted Garlic Last Minute Xmas Gift

I love garlic. I really, really, love garlic.

I love garlic so much that when I was in grade 2, I would eat garlic toast for breakfast every single morning.

Cool kid right?

This year for Christmas I'm sharing my garlicky love! And you can too! Give the gift of bad breath and good health!

Traditionally garlic is planted on Winter Solstice {Dec 21} and harvested on Summer solstice {June 21, 2013}. So today I'm going to plant one for the purpose of making this post, and then the rest right before xmas on the 21st as little gifts for my loved ones. If you're reading this and it's not quite December 21st anymore, plant anyway.... no one will ever know...

What you'll need:
- pots/planters/jars
- garlic {organic is best!}
- potting soil
- rocks/glass globs
- wrapping/decorating supplies

Load up your pot with an inch or so of whatever you're using for your drainage area. Garlic grows best in well drained soil.

Fill your pot with soil

Separate a clove(s) from the bulb. Leave the skin on

Push your clove pointy side up into the soil until they are about 2 cm from the surface.

Then cover with soil and pat down gently with your fingies

Garlic can grow fairly close together, but try not to crowd your pot.

Give your garlic a good water, enough to last until your lucky gift receiver opens it up.

Then wrap your garlic plant up with whatever decorating means you've chosen

You should create a tag or card to accompany your plant. Let the receiver know how to care for the plant and when to harvest. It's also nice to include the many health benefits of garlic.

PS, if your receiver has them, you might want to mention that garlic is toxic to pets.

Have a smelly Christmas,

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Thrift Store Finds & Old Frame Tutorials

The other day I went to the thrift store with the intention of buying a few things for some home made gifts I'm planning for Christmas, and walked out with such a good haul!

Finding everything you're looking for {and then some} at the thrift store is usually kinda rare in my experience, so I was pretty stoked.

I'll miss these little guys once I give them away, all except the tinted aqua one ...

This is a present to myself.

Chalkboard and Picture Frames

R E - D E S I G N E D   T H R I F T

I also found some old frames that I'm going to upcycle in the following tutorials!

I'm turning the octagonal frame into a hanging chalk board

First things first I dusted the frame off and cleaned the glass carefully

Then gave the glass a few thin layers of the chalkboard paint

As the glass was drying I started to apply the paint to the frame

I used an acrylic sea glass colour and applied about three layers

After the frame was completely dry I gave it a few layers of a semi-gloss varnish

Then I got to painting the brass frame. The edges of the frame were black velvet but I painted over them too, ended up looking kinda like wood.

I used an acrylic bleached sand colour and applied about three layers

I let the paint dry and then applied a few layers of the semi-gloss finish

This was the finished chalkboard. I would have loved to write something sassy on it for the photo but I plan on gifting these frames so I decided not to!

And here is the ex-brass frame just begging to be filled with a black and white photo.

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How to make a Heated Dog Pillow

My little yorkie Toby doesn't have much meat on her and at a mere five pounds she always seems to be cold this time of the year. Normally she burrows herself into a blanket or a sweater, or sits in my lap, but I thought I could make something to ease her skinny little suffering.

This is a lazy tutorial for a super easy, super quick Microwavable Dog Pillow

Grab some fabric and scissors - measuring tape optional, I didn't use it, just for scale

Fold your fabric in half and cut out the size of pillow that's going to work best for you or your dog

Fold your fabric evenly so the wrong side is face up. Sew along the edges (except for folded side)

Remember to leave a hole where we can add the filler

Grab your filler! In this case I'm using rice, but you can also use wheat, barley, oatmeal, or beans etc.

Grab a funnel and start filling your bag! If you're like me and fresh out of funnels, use a scrap piece of construction paper or cardboard. I used about 10 cups of rice, give or take, to fill my pillow.

Fold the edges of your opening inwards to create a cleaner hem and then sew the hole closed

That's one snazzy rice bag

Chuck your new pillow on a plate in the microwave for 1 - 3 minutes. Some suggest heating it along with a small cup of water as a safety precaution.

Have your dog pop a squat on that nifty little craft and see what they think. 

I don't know if Toby even knew what was going on...  But I think she was pleased

And for those rainy days that you're cold too, put this thing on your lap! Dog optional.

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